The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has said that a previous 2001 settlement agreement between the heirs and DC Comics' parent company supersedes the later legal victory.

Siegel attorney Marc Toberoff's decision to pursue co-creator Shuster's portion of the Superman rights is deemed to have effectively undone his previous victory, leaving the rights effectively in the hands of Warner/DC.

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Henry Cavill's Clark Kent floats motionless underwater surrounded by debris. Flames bellow above hinting that he's just been part of an attempted rescue.
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The 2001 letter which said that the Siegel family "accepted DC Comics' offer of October 16, 2001 in respect of the Superman and Spectre properties" was judged to be a legally binding contract.

"This is a great day for Superman, for his fans, for DC Entertainment and for Warner Bros," the studio said in a statement. "Today's ruling vindicates DC Comics' long-held position that it entered into a binding agreement with the Jerry Siegel family in 2001.

"The Court's decision paves the way for the Siegels finally to receive the compensation they negotiated for and which DC has been prepared to pay for over a decade. We are extremely pleased that Superman's adventures can continue to be enjoyed across all media platforms worldwide for generations to come."

Siegel and Shuster famously sold the rights to Superman to DC for $130 in 1938.